Bud Light’s dilly dilly cease-and-desist makes a competitor famous

December 3, 2017

In August, Wieden + Kennedy launched a campaign around the nonsense phrase, dilly dilly, with a nod to Game of Thrones. Perhaps it was the medieval setting. Perhaps it was people’s unsated curiosity. Perhaps it was just the enjoyment of nonsense. The campaign took off.

A 15 second execution, that launched in October, has achieved more than 2 million views.

Within a day, A-B InBev had sent the brewer a cease-and-desist letter. It wasn’t a normal cease-and-desist. It was a scroll, written on parchment, using mock medieval English and delivered by a town crier. It was very funny. And it was very friendly. It even offered the Modist people two tickets to the Super Bowl to enjoy with Bud Lights.

Here is the transcript:

Dear friend of the Crown, Modist Brewing Company. Congratulations on the launch of your new beer, Dilly Dilly Mosaic Double IPA! Let it be known that we believe any beer shared between friends is a fine beer indeed. And we are duly flattered by your loyal tribute. However, “Dilly Dilly” is the motto of our realm, so we humbly ask that you keep this to a limited-edition, one-time-only run. This is by order of the king. Disobedience shall be met with additional scrolls, then a formal warning, and finally, a private tour of the Pit of Misery. Please send a raven, letter or electronic mail to let us know that you agree to this request. Also, we will be in your fair citadel of Minneapolis for the Super Bowl, and would love to offer two thrones to said game for two of your finest employees to watch the festivities and enjoy a few Bud Lights. On us. Yours truthfully, Bud Light.

Whatever were A-B InBev’s intentions (let’s assume it was a publicity stunt to boost Bud Light’s sales), the real winner seems to be Modist.

Its video of the cease-and-desist being delivered achieved more than 173,000 views, 2.5 likes, loves and laughs and more than 1,600 shares on Facebook in less than two days.